Nationwide (November 15, 2011) -- Are you offended by the banner below? If so, then this article will be of immense interest to you; if you are not offended...no need to read any further.

Saggin' pants, the call for misogyny, wanton use of the n-word, glorification of thuggery and a gangsta way of life is atypical to former Black America. For the past 30 years, an element of ruin has taken over Black America while the silent majority sits back, watches and allows the community's annihilation to continue. The time has come for the silent majority to wake up, stand up, and help clean up a mess created by proponents of a self-destructive mind-set - the mindset of the very definition of a "n**ga."

It behooves BLACKS to re-claim their rightful and dignified place in history, or else, the race will remain irrelevant - presented as inferior, useless beings only taking up valuable space - in the pages of ancient history. The silent majority must take a look in the mirror and say: "Let it begin with me! And let me rest not until I have helped my community once again stand as a strong, viable, united, and honorable people."

Black America must understand the game that has been played on the group and ACCEPT that the n-word - n**ger or n**ga - is the lifeline that feeds the on-going systemic destruction. Some believe that there are more important or prevalent issues occurring in the black community than to be worried about the use of the n-word. But what if the cause of all of those highly-significant and more pressing issues tied directly back to a "smaller, seemingly less important" factor?

For instance, if a small pebble chips a windshield, over time, the chip - if left unchecked - will turn into a crack, then a spider crack will appear. It will continue to grow and spread until the entire windshield looks like a massive, uncontrolled web.

Ultimately, the entire windshield, no longer able to "hold it together," will cave in under its own weight. This problem could have been resolved - or at least limited - early on by attending to the issue while it was small; but because it went unattended, you will now experience greater stresses and even bigger problems (i.e., having to pay more money to have the windshield replaced, dealing with the insurance company, unable to drive the car until it's fixed, risking the windshield caving in and causing major physical harm, if not death, if an accident should occur, etc.).

It is the same with the n-word: Before any other pressing issues can ever be effectively and seriously resolved within the Black community, Blacks must first deal with the issue of freeing themselves from a 400-year-old life sentence of subconsciously accepting being referred to as the n-word. Unless the race can first demonstrate the ability to overcome a manipulative and centuries old mindset of mind control, Blacks will just simply continue to live in a paternalistic state of mind and be controlled by others, which is what the embracing of the n-word symbolizes. Even though the word may seem small in the grand scheme of other issues whirling about the community, it has tremendous impact and its effects serve as the root cause of those significant problems the black community faces.

Just imagine how the difficult tasks of many of these non-profit organizations trying to help the community would be so much easier if they didn't have to ALSO deal with young, not-so-young, and the young-at-heart referring to one another as ni*ga/ers whenever they get angry or frustrated. Just imagine if they didn't have to deal with lyrics (often in rap but sometimes in regular R&B songs as well) pushing this derogatory racial slur. Just imagine the positive difference of hearing "brother, sister, beloved, king, queen, prince, princess" 20-30 times a day - instead of hearing ni*ga/er 20-30 times a day.

Although it is also undesirable and unacceptable to see and hear non-blacks use the pejorative term, their use is NOT the prevalent issue at stake or of concern because when we show self-respect, pride, and dignity, their use will diminish – the many who use it today, especially the youth, are only following what they see from us. The word, when used by a non-black, has NO POWER - unless Blacks give it power to wreck havoc on their emotions. Therefore, Blacks must learn to control their own emotions and stop giving the keys of control to others. Besides, whenever the black community on a whole decides to wake-up from the anesthetized present state, the group will have the capacity - simply through brain power - to inhibit any non-black's use of the n-word.

Irreparable and psychological harm is done each and every time self-internalization of the word occurs. It's no accident when rappers use the n-word in the same context with misogyny, glorification of thuggery, drugs and a gangsta lifestyle. The n-word could never be used in the same context of spirituality because the word is satanic in nature and not of God. It's also no accident that this word is allowed to be promoted through rappers - we all remember the shutdown that happened when rappers tried to promote "kill the cops" type of rapping, right?

So, why do blacks silently sit by and allow self - as a group - to be referred to as and cursed by a word drenched in ignorance, racism, bloodshed, degradation, dehumanization, and carnage? Blacks and Black African Americans are far more superior than this, and must think more highly of themselves.

Blacks must realize the importance of change; in order to rejuvenate the black community; that change must begin within self first - moving from ignorance and apathy to ACTION. If upon initial viewing of the banner ad earlier in the text shocked you, made you feel uncomfortable or "rubbed you the wrong way" which should have been the case for any conscious black person, then you are likely annoyed when hearing the n-word used by Blacks and are ready to take a stand.

H. Lewis Smith is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. (www.theunitedvoices.com); a writer for the New England Informer Online, Staff Writer for ThyBlackMan.com, and author of "Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word". Follow H. Lewis Smith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thescoop1

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